Size Matters
by AliceSloane13
Summary: Beca comes home to find Chloe a crying mess and tries to figure out what's wrong.


A/N: So this happened. It wasn't planned – at all. It just popped into my head because one tiny part of a different story. I felt the need to write it down anyways. Watch out it's rough. Like I just wrote it and probably should have spent more time on it rough!

XOXOXO

It was near the end of August the day Beca found Chloe curled up on her bed sobbing over her phone. She was exhausted and it was the last thing she wanted to deal with. Chloe crying wasn't a necessarily unusual sight. She had a big heart and sometimes that led to big hurt, but this was something serious from the looks of it. "Chloe, what's wrong?" Beca asked, sat down against the headboard next to her friend.

Chloe looked up at Beca and swallowed hard. She opened her mouth to speak, but couldn't find the right words. She just shook her head and covered her mouth.

"I can't help if you don't tell me Chlo," Beca said tenderly. She grabbed the hand covering her friend's mouth and held it gently, rubbing her thumb against the inside of Chloe's hand.

"It just isn't right," Chloe said, shoving her phone into Beca's hands. "How could they?"

Beca studied the screen for a moment, forehead furrowed in confusion. She tried to figure out what was causing so much distress, surely it wasn't the obvious. "All this says is that Pluto isn't an official planet anymore."

Chloe nodded and wiped her eyes. "It's so sad," she said, eyes brimming with tears.

 _Or_ maybe it was the obvious. This was ridiculous. "Oh my God Chloe, I thought someone had died or the world was ending. Get it together, Beale. This is over the top even for you." Beca rolled her eyes, pulling Chloe into a much-needed hug.

Beca's words would seem harsh to anyone except Chloe. She knew the younger woman didn't like when she cried. Not knowing how to fix things when Chloe was upset, Beca tended to get pretty testy and prickly. She also tended to get pretty protective and physical. The arms around her more than made up for the sting of her words.

Chloe pulled back a little to try to glare at Beca. She was upset about this – really upset. Maybe it was dumb, but it just got to her. Beca didn't always understand why Chloe felt so intensely about certain things, but normally she could explain it to her. Trying to think of a way to put it into terms that Beca would get, gave her an idea.

Her glare faltered in its intensity, as soon as the mischief in her thoughts took over. It wasn't exactly intimidating the way her lips kept trying to quirk into a smile. "I thought you of all people would understand," Chloe said, sadness still evident in her tone.

"Why would I…" Beca trailed off in confusion. Sometimes trying to keep up with her friends manic thought process was impossible. It was a planet. Yet Chloe was here acting like it had just been dropped off at the orphanage because its parents didn't want it any longer. Chloe bit her lip and Beca cut her eyes warningly, waiting for whatever was headed her way.

Chloe tried to hide her grin, but failed. Her eyes sparkled with glee as she spoke. "Because _you're_ tiny Beca. How do you feel when people treat you like you're not a person just because you're not big enough?"

"I'm big enough," Beca huffed. She tried to pull away from Chloe, but the redhead was having none of it.

Chloe just pulled herself against Beca's side tighter. "You totes are," she said in a way that didn't sound convincing at all.

Beca hated it when Chloe patronized her, but at the same time, she kind of loved it. Chloe always just looked so damn happy when she was teasing Beca. "Fine whatever, it kind of sucks. I don't care what people think anyway, though so it's not like it matters," Beca said, knowing how ridiculously childish that sounded. "I'm sure Pluto feels exactly the same." She was an honest to God idiot. Only Chloe Beale could have her defending a planet as if it was an actual person with feelings. She needed to change directions of this conversation fast. "Besides Chlo, it's not like it's losing all status. It's still considered a dwarf planet."

There was a beat of silence.

There was zero hope that her last statement would go unnoticed or ignored. Beca closed her eyes and bit her lip, shaking her head. "Don't do it. I know what I just walked into, don't even say it."

It was too late. Chloe was already trying to hold back her giggles. "I don't know what you're talking about," Chloe said, trying to look at her innocently. She leaned forward again and kissed Beca's cheek, "My little dwarf person."

"I hate you," Beca said, pulling Chloe tighter into her arms. She kissed her forehead and spoke. "I'm only humoring you because I know you're upset." Beca heard a tiny mmhmm against her neck and smiled. It wasn't the first time she'd seen the redhead cry herself into a state of exhaustion and she was sure it wouldn't be the last.

Stupid NASA and their stupid planet rules. Beca found herself suddenly feeling very protective of Pluto and knew it was just another hazard of loving Chloe. She wouldn't have it any other way. Beca readjusted the redhead into a better position, guiding them down onto her pillow. They were going to be here for a while. She played with her Chloe's hair as she watched her breaths even out. Beca kissed Chloe's forehead once more before falling asleep as well.

XOXOXO

There it is folks. Let me know what ya think! Also feel free to follow me or come talk to me on tumblr ashinscribbleland dot tumblr dot com

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